Eye and Vision Tests for Children and Teens

Topic Overview

All children

The American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) and the American Academy of Ophthalmologists
(AAO) recommend that all children have an
eye exam during the newborn period and again
at all routine
well-child visits.1

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
(USPSTF) recommends screening
(tests) to detect lazy eye
(amblyopia), misaligned eyes
(strabismus), and defects in
visual acuity in children between the ages of 3 and 5 years.2

The AAP recommends that
vision screening start around age 3 and occur each year at ages 4, 5, and 6.
After that, screening should occur at ages 8, 10, 12, 15, and 18.3

The AAO recommends that
vision screening start around age 3 and occur each year at ages 4 and 5. After
age 5, the AAO recommends screening every 1 to 2 years.4

Children who have refractive errors or have a disease that affects the eyes

Children
and teens with a disease that affects the eyes can follow the eye
exam and vision testing schedule for all children. It's best that they see an
eye doctor (specialist) for their eye care.

At least once a year, most eye doctors want to check the vision
of children and teens that have
refractive errors that impact their sight. If
nearsightedness is severe or quickly gets worse in a child, he or
she will need exams more often.

References

Citations

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2011). Vision screening for children 1 to 5 years of age:
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation
statement. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Available online: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2010-3177.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2011). Vision screening for children 1 to 5 years of age:
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation
statement. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Available online: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2010-3177.

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